Work Text:
Mia squeezed him again and rested her head on his shoulder. "This is exactly the way I imagined our reunion. Oh, Isaac, I've missed you so much!"
"I know. The thought of this moment is all that kept me going. I'm so sorry, Mia! I should've found a way to prevent this from happening to you."
"Don't blame yourself," she said. "You found me, and we're together now and that's all that matters."
A sharp snuff brought Gladio out of the book and back into his living room.
“Ignis Amicitia! Honest to Shiva, did you just snort!?”
With a tight smile, Ignis waved an apologetic hand. “Apologies, love. Continue.”
“No!” Gladio slammed shut the book and set it on their coffee table. He crossed his arms and gave Ignis a hard look. “Isaac and Mia have found each other once more, after all that heartbreak and despite the horrible circumstances, their love is restored and stronger than ever, and you snort!?”
Ignis shrugged, returning his hand to his knitting. “I mean, come on, Gladio. ‘You found me and we’re together and that’s all that matters.’ Getting rather mushy here, wouldn't you agree?”
“They thought they were never going to see each other again!”
“I still… Gladio Scientia, honest to Shiva, are you crying?”
Gladio sniffed and wiped an eye. “It’s just… so beautiful. Reunions, true love…”
Ignis sighed, shaking his head, but a fond smile grew on his lips. “Ever the big sap.”
Despite the tears, Gladio smiled back. “You know you love it.” And then the smile immediately dropped into a frown. “Unlike this book!”
“Oh, Gladio!” Ignis couldn’t stop the laughter coming out of his mouth. “Come here, I should check the length now, regardless.”
Gladio grumbled but nonetheless scooted along the couch until he reached Ignis’s side, still sniffling.
Ignis gathered up the end of the scarf and turned to Gladio. “Now, love, you know I enjoy hearing whatever you choose to read on these quiet Saturday evenings.”
“More like you enjoy teasing whatever I choose to read,” Gladio mumbled as Ignis wrapped the knitted yarn around Gladio’s neck.
“All part of the fun!” Ignis countered. “It’s my way of expressing appreciation for these sappy romance novels.”
“You and your peculiar way of expressing appreciation…” Gladio ran a hand along the scarf. “The yarn feels even nicer knitted.”
“Glad you like it. Just a little more, and I think this will be at the right length.” Ignis nodded as he lined up the ends. “In any regard, give me a little credit, Gladio! Until that little hiccup, I’ve been quite well-behaved during these readings.”
Gladio pursued his lips, humming. “Maybe… I mean, I did hear you chuckle during the prologue.”
“Hey now, overall, I did find that whole scene to be adorable! But…” Ignis sighed as he unwrapped the scarf. “I couldn’t with the ‘our love is like a dream’ line.”
“And why not? You wouldn't compare our love to a wonderful dream?”
“Firstly, our love is better than any dream I’ve ever dreamed.” Ignis gave a quick kiss to Gladio’s nose after removing the scarf. “Secondly, why do people insist on comparing good things to dreams? Most dreams are completely fatuous. Remember the time I told you about that dream I had where Ardyn vogued to “She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain”?
“Thanks for reminding me. I had erased that image from my mind and now it’s back.”
Ignis gave a cheeky wink. “But returning to my previous point, I’ve been a very mindful listener.”
Gladio rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Yeah, I guess you do have a point. No laughing during the other mush, and you did seem to pick up knitting faster during that fight on the boat.”
“Exactly! This story packs quite the excitement! And also…” Ignis cupped Gladio’s cheek. “I do adore how much you're captivated by these romance novels. You always read with such passion, it’s like I’m on a thrilling adventure in another beautiful world with you. I love our journeys into print.”
A dusting of pink coated Gladio’s cheeks, and he turned to kiss Ignis’s hand on his face. “Once again, Ignis Amicitia, you know just the right thing to say.”
“Always.”
Lips met together in a chaste kiss. Then, Ignis turned around to rest his back against Gladio’s side and once again returned to his knitting. “Now, please continue, Gladio Scientia. Take me back to this passionate world as I finish this scarf.”
Gladio chuckled, picking up the book with one hand and wrapping his other arm around Ignis’s waist. “And next you’ll be working on your scarf, right?”
Ignis raised his chin to look up and back at Gladio. “I believe the Amicitia and Scientia household agreed to matching scarves this winter?”
“Correct.” Gladio kissed Ignis’s forehead before Ignis resumed his previous position, and Gladio found the last page he had read. “Now, I better not hear any more snorts.”
“I make no promises.”
“Typical. ‘She coughed quite heavily, which made Isaac feel even guiltier not to mention concerned….’”